Manslaughter charge upgraded to murder for 24-year-old

A CHARGE of manslaughter has been upgraded to murder for one of the accused in a Diamond killing that took place earlier this year.

Tearon James and Lesroy Stapleton were on Tuesday, May 24 taken to the Serious Offences Court (SOC) where the joint charge of, with malice aforethought, causing death of Kevin George of Diamond by an unlawful act, was read to them.

They were not required to plea. Chief Magistrate, Rechanne Browne adjourned the matter to June 28 for the preliminary inquiry and both accused men are remanded into custody at Her Majesty’s Prisons.

The two men were already charged in February of this year with the death. However James was facing a murder charge, while Stapleton faced a lesser charge of manslaughter.

James was a 21-year-old mechanic at the time of the alleged incident, while Stapleton was a 24-year-old labourer.

According to information from the police shortly after George’s death, the now deceased 27-year-old labourer was allegedly involved in an altercation with another person at around midday on Saturday, January 29. During this altercation the parties are said to have received injuries. George was taken to the Stubbs Polyclinic but died from the wounds he received.